Seagrasses, the unique adaptation of angiosperms to the marine environment: effect of high carbon and ocean acidification on energetics and ion homeostasis

As a functional group, seafrasses form highly productive ecosystems present along the coasts of all continents (except Antarctic), where they rival tropical rainforests and coral reefs in ecosystem services (Costanza et al., 1997; Fourqurean et al., 2012). Unfortunately, seagrasses are diminishing worldwide and several studies confirm a lack of appreciation for the value of these systems (Cullen-Unsworth et al., 2014). Since the last century, the effects of climate change on natural and agricultural terrestrial plant communities have already received significant attention.